


The Prince Shall Reign

by PeppermintTchaikovsky



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology, The Iliad - Homer, The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-19
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-27 04:35:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5033980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeppermintTchaikovsky/pseuds/PeppermintTchaikovsky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Of Lyres, Love, and Lalo</p><p>Achilles and Patroclus are about to get married and live normal lives. That was the plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The wedding was in less than two weeks and Patroclus had yet to tell his parents that he was getting married. Achilles sat next to him on the bed and held his hand as Patroclus began to type in the number. The phone rang three times before he hung up.  
“I can’t do it,” he whispered. Achilles tightened his grip.  
“You have to at some point. It will be worse if they never know and find out by default,” Achilles reasoned.   
“They’ll hate me,” Patroclus stated, matter-of-factly.  
“If they do, then they’ll be losing a great light in their life,” Achilles said.  
“They wouldn’t even bat their eyes,” Patroclus said as he turned and pressed his forehead to Achilles’ shoulder.   
Patroclus started to cry. Even Achilles had never seen that before. His shoulders shook and his breathing became heavier. Every once and awhile he would sob, but it was quiet, as if he didn’t want his partner to hear.   
“I’m not going to make you call,” Achilles whispered.   
“No, it’s gotta happen,” Patroclus said as he grabbed his phone.  
“Are you sure?”   
“I think so,” Patroclus said, but Achilles heard his voice shaking.  
“Is there anything I can do to make this easier for you?” he asked.  
“Can we ask Briseis and Helen to come. I’m just worried about what might happen and I think having people that I know love me around might help,” Patroclus responded.  
After a quick phone call, Briseis and Helen were knocking on their door within minutes. Briseis carried a pair of peppermint mochas and Helen had slices of lemon pound cake.  
“We’re here for you no matter what,” Briseis said as she pushed a mocha into Patroclus’s hand.  
“To the bitter end,” Helen added, “Not that I think it will be bitter,”  
“We think your parents will love you no matter what,” Briseis said.  
“I forget that none of you have met my father,” Patroclus sighed.  
The four friends sat on the edge of the bed as Patroclus dialed the number for the third and final time. No one spoke and the silence seemed to hang in the air like lead.   
“Hello mother,” Patroclus said, trying to keep his tone of voice happy and upbeat. Achilles strained to hear what she was saying.  
“Hello Patroclus,” she sounded cold.  
“I have great news to tell you,” Patroclus said as he grabbed Achilles’ hand.  
“Oh?” she asked, still without a hint of feeling.  
“Mother, I’m getting married,” he said.  
“Are you?” She asked.  
“Yes, mother. I am,” Patroclus responded through his teeth, “I’m getting married to Achilles,” He squeezed his lover’s hand.   
“I need to talk to your father,” Achilles noted how her voice faltered.  
“Okay,” Patroclus swallowed. There was a moment where Achilles could hear the two parents speaking, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. Finally, Patroclus’s father broke the silence.  
“I’m very disappointed in you,” his father said, “I had always hoped you would grow up to be a great man.”  
“Really, because it didn’t seem like it,” Patroclus said flatly. His father ignored him.  
“I had hoped you would marry a happy girl and then settle down and have a family. There will be none of this homosexuality and liberal arts and English.” He practically spat the words, “If you were here at home-” Patroclus cut him off.  
“Would you yell at me? Beat me? Tell the rest of my friends and neighbors that I was a depraved anomaly?” Patroclus was silently shocked at his own boldness.  
“I never beat you,” his father said.  
“I have scars to prove otherwise. What do you think you’re hiding?” Patroclus was yelling. When his father didn’t respond, he turned on speaker phone so his friends could hear everything.  
“You have never treated me well. All I ever heard was how you wished you had a real son like Clysonymus from across the street and how I was never strong enough to be worth anything. I was a shame because I didn’t want to join the army and carry on the fucking family tradition like you did. I was disappointing when I didn’t move back to Ankara with the rest of you people. You didn’t even call me when I was attacked by a former classmate and put in a coma for two months. You didn’t care that I was going to die. You didn’t care about anything but your fucking reputation.”  
“You’re sick, broken. You need help, Patroclus,” he said. Achilles held Patroclus’s shoulders.  
“No,” Patroclus’s voice broke, “I’m not broken- not because of this. The only reason I have to be broken is you,”  
“I see,” There was a pause, “I want you to come back to Turkey now. I know a man who can help.”  
“The only reason you could get me across that ocean would be if you dragged my lifeless body,” Patroclus snarled. He seemed less like the kind and gentle man Achilles knew him to be, and more like a lion. He was brave and he will not be abused. Not again.  
“I see. I don’t want you to call anymore,” Patroclus’s father said, his voice lolling like a ship caught in the doldrums. “I don’t wish to see you. You have made these choices and now you must live with them. If you will not see reason then I cannot make you. I have tried to be kind and I have tried to be stern and nothing works. I can say nothing more.”  
“One more thing, before you go,” Patroclus said, “Why do you hate me?”  
“I never hated you, I only wanted what was best for you.” he said.  
“No,” Helen spoke, “You wanted what was best for you and you let him take the fall for it. I’m glad he came here. He never deserved to live with you.”  
There was silence and then the clicking sounds of the phone being hung up from the other line. Helen looked mortified.  
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” she said, “I really didn’t mean to go off like that,”   
“It needed to be done,” Patroclus swallowed.  
“Are you alright?” Achilles asked.  
“I’ll be fine,” he responded.  
“Are you sure?” Achilles still held Patroclus’s shoulders.  
“It will take time,”  
“I love you,” Achilles said as he placed a kiss on his head.  
Once Helen and Briseis left, Achilles and Patroclus began to get ready for bed. Patroclus decided to check his email one more time before he slept. He was desperately waiting to see if he would be hired as the new Junior English teacher at the prestigious Ana Toliah Academy. Achilles was sure he would get the job, but he was sceptical.  
There was one message in his inbox and he was afraid to see who it was from. After everything that had happened that day, the last thing he needed was to be denied his dream job. Achilles sat next to him on the bed.  
“Are you going to open it?” he asked.  
“Yes,” Patroclus said.


	2. Chapter 2

Achilles threw his arms around Patroclus’s waist when he saw that the Email was indeed an acceptance. He knew that he always wanted to teach at Ana Toliah. He would be amazing, of course. Achilles could never think anything different.  
As soon as the lights were out, Achilles pulled Patroclus into his arms. He wanted to kiss the very sadness from his heart. He kissed Patroclus’s forehead and cheeks, finally ending with his lips. Patroclus easily returned his affections. His arms were draped across Achilles’ back. His hands were freezing and he seemed to shake.  
“Are you cold?” Achilles asked lightly in his darling’s ear.  
“Yes,” Patroclus did not particularly want to talk. He just wanted to be warm and safe.  
Achilles wrapped a blanket around Patroclus’s shoulders. It was light blue with music notes on it. It was a gift from his grandmother. It was warm and smelt like sandalwood, Patroclus always buried his face in it when he was cold.  
Achilles rewound his arms around Patroclus’s waist and focused all his energy on keeping his lover warm. Every once in awhile, Patroclus would press light kisses to Achilles’ cheeks and hair. He seemed to curl in on the taller man.  
“Do you want to go to the symphony tomorrow?” Achilles asked.  
“Depends on what’s playing,” Patroclus responded.  
“I think it’s Tchaikovsky’s Pathetique and Tzigane,” Achilles said before he placed a kiss on Patroclus’s jaw.  
“Who’s the soloist?” he asked.  
“Annika Jenkins,”  
“Oh, she’s young,”  
“And incredibly talented,”  
“You know what, that sounds nice,” Patroclus said.  
Achilles kissed Patroclus’s forehead. He knew that they would both get very little sleep that night. He couldn’t help but notice that Patroclus was still shivering.  
“Are you alright?” Achilles asked.  
“No, not really,” Patroclus answered. He pressed his cheek to Achilles’ chest.  
“Do you want to talk about it?” Achilles ran his fingers through Patroclus’s hair.  
“Not now, I just don’t-,” his words got caught in his throat.  
“It’s okay. You’re okay. I’ll protect you,” Achilles said.  
“It’s not okay. Nothing is okay,” Patroclus cried.  
“I know,” Achilles sighed.  
“Do you know what happens next?” Patroclus asked.  
“We have to keep pressing on, don’t we?” Achilles answered.  
“We do,” he agreed.  
There was a brief moment of silence. Achilles looked at Patroclus. He looked small and afraid. That was wrong. There was nothing small or weak about that man. Achilles knew that well. It pained him to see this man, his lover, hurt by his own father. He noticed how Patroclus's breathing evened out and assumed he was asleep. That was better, he thought, as long as his father stayed out of his dreams.  
Achilles closed his eyes to try and sleep, but he was conscious of every movement Patroclus made. He was dreaming. This, Achilles knew. But of what he was dreaming: he couldn’t tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annika Jenkins in a real violinist and she is pretty amazing. If anyone's interested just search her on youtube.


End file.
